One of the more outstanding natural features of Thailand is the lush vegetation. The various palm trees are the most prominent example. Seeing the number and variety here was really enjoyable. There seems to be something very quieting about them.
Every day I made mental notes about their characteristics and how they differed from the evergreen and deciduous trees with which I am more familiar. The trunks are similar while the formation of the leaves is completely different. There was an abundance of coconut palms, which have some of the biggest fronds. They looked like enormous feathers and, as I later learned, is how they are described. The question became, ‘How are these painted?’ What is the best way to capture the effect of individual leaflets, more often than not waving in the ocean breeze, against the blue sky keeping the painting alive and not overworked?
Without knowing all the answers ahead of time, I decided to get to work with the painting knife. It seemed that this would be the best tool for accomplishing what I had in mind. This turned out to be a really fun approach to the painting!
‘Two Palms‘, 18″x14″, Oil on Canvas
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